312 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Widening the End-bars of Danzenbaker Extracting- 



frames to Permit the Use of Eight Combs 



in a Super 



I wish to tell of a change I have been making in 

 our Danzenbaker extraeting-supers that has added 

 20 per pent to their efficiency, and much more than 

 that to their value in harvesting a crop of honey. 

 Frames spaced as they are, ten in a hive, while just 

 right for the brood-nest, make too much handling 

 and uncapping for the amount of honey harvested. 

 How to remedy this condition of affairs, and still 

 preserve the good feature of removing the case as a 

 whole, has been my study for some time. The prob- 

 lem has solved itself in this way: Rip out of %- 

 inch lumber, pieces scant % inch in thickness, and 

 tack these on to one side of both end-pieces of the 

 frames. With this attachment eight pieces of comb 

 will fill a ten-frame super, giving combs for twenty 

 per cent more hives, and giving the bees an equal 

 amount of storage room while the beekeeper handles 

 twenty per cent less of frames. A large saving of 

 time is thus effected just when time is of its greatest 

 value. The device delighted us with results last year. 



TROUBLK WITH SMOKK MKTHOD OF INTRODUCING 



As to the new way of introducing queens by smok- 

 ing them in, while successful in the early part of the 

 season, during a good honey-flow, later in the season 

 I lost two tine queens. Unless a good honey-flow is 

 on I still prefer the cage system — feeding the colony 

 about a pint of thin syrup for about three nights, 

 during and after the release of the queen by the 

 bees; and, I might add, and not opening the hive 

 for a week. This rarely fails us at any time of the 

 year. 



\ " BEE-LINE." 



Does not the word " bee-line " refer to the straight 

 course an absconding swarm takes en route to their 

 new home rather than to the course taken by bees 

 while in quest of or returning with their loads of 

 nectar. 



Allow me to draw special attention to that very 

 valuable recipe for soft candy given on p. 158, May 

 1, 1913. It is so simple and inexpensive, with sugar 

 at 4% cts. per lb., that all can afford to treat any 

 doubtful colonies, whether indoors or out, to a cake 

 of it. 



Toronto. Ont. F. P. Clare. 



readily convinced of her safety by the way the bees 

 back away from her to make room as she crawls 

 about the comb. Hang the frame back in its place, 

 and the work is done. This is not a new method, 

 l)Ut I find it satisfactory for a small beekeeper. 

 Jamestown, N. Y. Rev. J. W. Wilson. 



Securing Empty Combs for Bait 



I have never learned how to get bees to build comb 

 in sections or in the super, when there is no flow of 

 honey, vrithout liberal feeding. They will often 

 occupy the supers in hot weather; and if no honey is 

 coming in they may mutilate the foundation; but 

 build they will not until they have honey to store. 

 My only way of securing empty comb in sections is by 

 letting the bees clean out all partly filled sections as 

 soon as the honey harvest is over. These may be 

 safely and profitably used the next season. 



My method of using bait sections is to put one in 

 each corner of the super, for these corners are more 

 likely to be left poorly filled. With a bait section in 

 each corner the super will generally be filled solid. 



A .SAFE WAY OF INTRODUCING BY THE CAGE PLAN. 



I have not demonstrated the smoke method for 

 introducing, and I have not observed to what ex- 

 tent it is necessary to smoke bees to make them good- 

 natured so that the queen may be run in; but the 

 method that has met my needs best is as follows : 

 When the new queen arrives, remove the one to be 

 superseded, by putting her in an introducing-cage 

 made of wire cloth ; and after she has been in the 

 cage about 30 minutes, take her out and allow the 

 new Italian, with all her escorts, to enter. Put them 

 at once down l>etween the frames; close up the hive, 

 and the next day lift the cage and a frame of brood, 

 and let two or three workers crawl out among the 

 other bees. If there is no fight you may be sure that 

 you can next release the queen ; and you will be 



Burning Out a Smoker to Get Rid of the Creosote 



My way of getting rid of the creosote in a smoker 

 is to put a little coal oil in the fire-cup and some 

 more in the cap. A large quantity is not necessarj-. 

 but there should be enough to soak the creosote well 

 Let it stand a few minutes, then put a plug of wet 

 paper or hard wood in the draft-hole at the bottom 

 of the fire-cup, and light the oil with a match, letting 

 it burn by laying the smoker down on its side with 

 the cap open. When it has burned long enough, or 

 if it gets to burning too fast, close the cap, and the 

 fire will go out. The wet plug is to keep the fire 

 from coming out at the bottom and charring the 

 bellows-board. xVfter burning out, scrape with a 

 putty-knife or screwdriver. 



Georgetown, Del. Georgk W. Louder 



My Method of Folding Sections 



I use a table high enough so I can stand up. I 

 take fifty sections, lay them in front of me with a 

 cup of water handy. I slip a section off the pile 

 with the groove down, and place my fore finger in 

 the water, then over the grooves, till the pile is done. 

 Then I turn the pile over and fold them. They are 

 strong and square. 



Oak, Neb. A. M. Devitt. 



[We have tried a modification of this plan to 

 some extent. We spread a long row of sections on 

 the floor or table, groove side down, and all grooves 

 in line. With a soft marking-brush we wet the 

 lacks by drawing the brush along the whole row, 

 one groove at a time. — Ed.] 



Newspapers to Keep Down Grass and Weeds in 

 Front of the Hives 



I have just been reading the way to kill weeds 

 with acid, p. 821, Nov. 15. I have a method which 

 I have been practicing for several years, for keeping 

 weeds from growing in front oi the hives. I use old 

 newspapers — many of the big dailies are not good 

 for much else. Early in the spring, before the grass 

 and weeds start, I raise the front end of the hive- 

 stand and insert the end of a newspaper ; then 

 smooth out in front, and lay small stones or earth 

 c n the corners to keep the wind from blowing them 

 away. This will smother the grass and weeds. 



Last spring I located an apiary in an old orchard 

 seeded to alfalfa, and I found the paper very effec- 

 tual in keeping the alfalfa from growing. There 

 should be six or more layers of paper. 



Denver, Col., Dec. 17. W. L. Porter. 



Hives Used 34 Years 



On page 26, Jan. 1, I read what was said about 

 old hives retaining their value. I have some hives 

 in use in my bee-yard, called "Simplicity Improved." 

 They were made in 1879. They are made of white 

 pine, and were painted two coats. Two years before 

 I commenced to keep bees I sold the hives for one 

 Dan Royce, and transferred bees into them. I helped 

 to make the hives, so I know what I am talking 

 about. I made hives long ago without paint, of the 

 same kind of material; but they are decayed and 

 gone. I am using the dovetailed for all of my new 

 ones, but I paint them. I have only 76 colonies 

 now. 



I have taken Gleanings ever since 1882, and be- 

 lieve I have every number up to this. I expect to 

 take it as long as I live. 



Cowden, 111., Jan. 9. A. W. Spracklbn. 



